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Alberta-Manitoba to co-operate on energy efficiency and climate change

Author of the article:

Darcy Henton • Calgary Herald

Publishing date:

January 9, 2016 • 3 minute read

Manitoba Premier Greg Selinger and Alberta Premier Rachel Notley sign a memorandum of understanding on shared energy and climate change Friday, January 8, 2016 at the Manitoba Legislature in Winnipeg.JOHN WOODS/ THE CANADIAN PRESS

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The premiers of Alberta and Manitoba agreed Friday to co-operate on energy efficiency and climate change, but there’s no firm commitment yet on Manitoba’s support for the proposed Energy East pipeline that Alberta needs to get oilsands bitumen to new markets.

The deal, announced by Premier Rachel Notley and Manitoba Premier Greg Selinger in Winnipeg, commits the two provinces to sharing information and developing co-operative measures relating to energy conservation programs, renewable energy development and greenhouse gas reduction policies, but is silent on pipelines.

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However, Selinger said Alberta’s leadership on climate change and commitment to phasing out coal-fired electrical generation as well as its cap on oilsands emissions “improves the context of the discussions of pipelines and electricity grids across the country.”

“We think it’s a big step forward for Alberta and I want to commend the premier for her leadership in this matter,” the Manitoba premier told reporters at news teleconference.

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Selinger said the “conversation” will now unfold with all parties knowing they share the same objective to reduce climate change emissions across the country.

“All of these future conversations about pipelines and electricity grids are now in a new context of a commitment by everybody in this country to making a contribution to climate change, not only for ourselves, but around the planet as well,” he said.

The premiers agreed that Canada’s energy infrastructure must be built in an environmentally responsible and safe way.

The three-year deal confirms commitments between the provinces to share information and best practices related to the strengths of their respective provinces.

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It emphasizes the importance of improving integration of electrical grids in western Canada to open up economic opportunities, improve energy reliability and continue transition to a lower-carbon economy.

The deal may also raise the possibility of Alberta one day importing hydroelectricity from Manitoba if infrastructure, like transmission lines, is built, but Notley made no commitments.

“I think we need to look into what this would look like but obviously we have a very vibrant renewable energy provider here in Manitoba and for a province that is looking to reduce its overall carbon footprint, I’m very excited about the opportunity to have our officials work with Manitoba officials to look at the options that might be there for us,” she said.

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“We are phasing out coal-fired production by the year 2030, and so we need to have as many options, as many levers, at our disposal as we can.”

Wildrose Leader Brian Jean said he was disappointed the premier failed to get a more solid commitment of support for the Energy East pipeline from a fellow NDP premier.

“The No. 1 issue for Alberta and Alberta jobs is making sure that our product gets to market and she was not able to receive direct public support for the Energy East pipeline from her NDP colleague,” Jean said in an interview. “Albertans will be paying $1,000 a year in a new carbon tax to only improve —and I quote — ‘the context’ for NDP premiers to consider new pipeline projects.”

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Progressive Conservative Leader Ric McIver said the Manitoba visit was “a photo-op” for the premier, but he doubted it helped Albertans much.

“The premier is consistently making people happy outside of Alberta and my advice would be to listen to people inside of Alberta a little more often and try to make them happy,” he said.

Earlier this week, NDP Finance Minister Joe Ceci said support from Ottawa and other provinces for pipelines to carry bitumen from Alberta to the east and west coasts was crucial to addressing the fiscal crisis caused by the collapse of oil prices.

TransCanada has proposed to construct and operate a 4,500 kilometre crude oil pipeline system from Hardisty to St. John, N.B. to enable the export of 1.1 million barrels per day of oilsands bitumen to eastern Canada and international markets.

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The $11 billion plan involves constructing 1,500 kilometres of new pipeline and converting 3,000 kilometres of existing gas pipelines to service crude oil.

If the plan is approved, Energy East would likely need to purchase about 150 MW — three per cent of Manitoba Hydro’s capacity — to operate eight pumping stations in the province.

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